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Thanks again for your encouraging words. I have been traveling to visit family so I haven't been able to post for a while. I'm going to try and squeeze in a few more studies soon. I should be back home the last week of September.
God bless!!!
By the way, I was specifically speaking of John 13:34-35.
Understanding what defines command and understanding how it applies, especially in this passage is very important.
God bless.
John 13:21 - When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.
The word troubled means agitated, TARASO, agitated! If you picture a top loading washing machine, that's what it means, just going back and forth. He is agitated. The term "in spirit" doesn't mean the Holy Spirit. It means His inner person, His inner self. He was troubled. The word "betray" means deliver over.
John 13:22 - Then the disciples looked one on another, doubting of whom he spake.
Then the disciples looked, and that's the Imperfect Tense. They were continuously looking one to another, doubting of whom he spake.
John 13:34 - A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
Jesus says, a new commandment I give unto you. And I want to share a technical Greek point here with you. He says "A new commandment I give to you, that ye love one another;
In the Greek text, there is what is called a "HINA clause" here. He is not saying that is the command. He's saying, "I'm giving you a new command in order that you love one another!" Now Jesus has not given the command yet. The new command will be in John 14:1. This is why diagramming the sentences from an original language perspective gives you a heads-up on the context of sections. There is no command until Chapter 14 Verse 1. "Love" is not a new command.
But I'm giving you this new command in order that, (purpose clause), that you love one another according as I have loved you, in order that you also love one another. In comparison, how did He love them? Well, He showed them the extreme love by washing their feet. He is showing them the love of God by voluntarily laying down His life for them. That is the message and impression that He is leaving for them.
John 13:12 - So, after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you?
So, after He had washed their feet, and had taken His garments, again that is the HIMATIA. HIMATION is your outer garment. He put His outer garment back on, and was set down again, literally He reclined at the table. These were tables about a foot off the ground, 12 inches high, and they laid on cushions with their left elbow on the table and their feet outstretched, and with the right hand they would reach over, and they would take the food.
Everybody in the table is facing in the same direction. Everybody has got one elbow on the table. I mention this to you so that you can understand why later on John would lean on Jesus' chest to ask Him a question. That is because he's right next to Jesus and when you're leaning back to ask a private question, your elbow and that part of your back is actually touching the person's chest.
John 13:13 - Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.
Two technical points I want to share with you: The word "master" is the word teacher, DIDASKALOS. You call me teacher and Lord and you say well, for so I am. But that last little phrase doesn't say "and so I am" in the Greek. It just says and "I AM," the title of God in the book of Exodus. It is a title. There is no "so" and no "he." It is simply "And I AM."
John 13:17 - If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.
The word happy, MAKARIOS, means to experience the fullness of something. It doesn't mean happy as pertaining to the flesh, but rather experiencing the fullness of the Spirit of Christ.
Thanks for doing this work, just a question on the Greek word I am, it is in the Scripture 100s of times. The Greek word eimi meaning I exist, I am, Greek verb which expresses being. I may be wrong, but I don't see applying the title of God when it does have the Greek word gar meaning for, indeed a conjunction used to express cause, explanation, inference, or continuation, its sense is shaped by the preceding statement.
To me, Jesus is not saying I am, YHWH, He is just saying "ye say well for I am", they are correct in calling Him their Master/Teacher and Lord because that is what He was and is.
God bless,
RLW
We do see this one differently. I see Jesus using the title of God for Himself, claiming to be the great I AM of the OT, just as He did in John 8:58.
Thank you for taking the time time to read these things I am sharing and blessings to you also!
John 13:9 - Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.
So, Peter is going to extremes in both directions. I refuse to let you wash my feet. And Jesus says if you don't let me wash your feet you have no part with me. Peter says, "Well then give me a bath. Bathe me all over because I don't want to reject you. I want to be fully in relation with you!"
There are two words that are being handled here in this text that's very important here in Verse 10. LUO in the Greek without the OMICRON or letter O means to destroy. But LUO with the diphthong, the OU, means to bathe all over. The word NIPTO means wash. That is Hebrew for wash. NIPTO is to wash, as in hands and feet. Now a washing is just washing the hands or washing the feet, and they would use the term NIPTO. To bathe all over, they would use the word LUO.
John 13:10 - Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.
So, he that is washed is the word LUO. The person who is bathed has no need to wash except for his feet whenever he gets his feet dirty. It was even a custom during Passover time that people took baths and then when they arrived at the guest's home, all he had to do was wash their feet, and they were clean all over.
So, Jesus says the person who washes or bathes has no need to wash but his feet, but he is clean every whit. The term "every whit" is the word "whole" HOLOS, whole or complete. He's completely clean!
If you've been bathed, and you have had your feet washed, you are completely wholly clean, but not all. What? Did one of them not take a bath? He's indicating a cleansing that Judas (remember Judas is still here) is the one that is not clean spiritually. So, it's not all!
John (Part 21):
John 13:4 - He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself.
Now His garments, the outer garment, or the coat if you will is called a HIMATIA. That is what He took off. He took off His HIMATIA, His outward garments. The CHITON is the inner garment. He did not take off the inner garment. And some people think that would be pretty embarrassing, that He took of all His clothes and then wrapped a towel around Him.
Well, He wasn't naked! He had His inner garments fully clothed. He took off the outer garment, which would be like a cloak, and He laid them aside. And thirdly, He took a towel and girded Himself. That is, He wrapped the towel around Himself in such a way so as to not only to wash the disciples' feet, but also to dry them. And they have pictures of slaves doing this with the towel draped around their waist and over their shoulders, so that they could pull it down and be wiping their feet off.
John 13:7 - Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.
This is one of the keys to understanding what this section is teaching us. He says first all "What I do you don't know now." Well, they know what He is doing! But obviously they don't really know completely all what He's doing. The word "now" used in this verse, and there's a couple of words for now. The word NOOUN means now in time. But this is ARTE, which means "up till now," you have not known what I am doing, but you will know hereafter.
Now the term "hereafter" is actually plural. After these things, you will know. So not just foot washing, because the foot washing is the introduction to this whole section going up through Chapter 15. After these things are over, you will know what I did to you and what the teaching is. So, this entire lesson through Chapter 15, He says you don't know up till now what I've been doing, but you will know after these things.
The Roman currency was the Denarius. One silver denarius was a day's wage, as you said. In the Eastern Mediterranean people were also using the grk Drachma. One silver Drachma was equivalent to one silver Denarius. In Israel at that time the Jews were using the grk money instead of Roman money as a "revolutionary" act. They were not accepting denarii but only drachmas. In the Temple there were people who were exchanging Roman and other money for drachmas. They were the ones that Jesus sent away using a whip.
John 10:36 - Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?
I hope you make the connection? They didn't say to Him "It is because you said you are the Son of God." It says because you said you are God. That's because as I have mentioned to you before, the title "Son of God" is to the Jew a title of God Himself!
The word "son" in Greek does not mean somebody who is a son by birth. It is never used of Jesus in the scripture. He is not the son of God in that there's "father God," and "mother God," and they had a child named Jesus.
John 11:16 - Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellow disciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him.
Didymus means "The Twin."
John 11:47 - Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles.
This would be the Sanhedrin, the highest council of the Jews, both of civil and religious affairs. 70 priests and scholars plus the high priest make up the Sanhedrin.
John 12:2 - There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him.
The word "sat" is not a correct translation. How they ate in those days, they didn't sit in chairs. They had a table close to the ground and they would lean on the table with their right arm, and they would have their legs and feet spread straight out. They were actually leaning (reclining) on the table.
Some translations of the New Testament actually use the word "reclining" because that's how they used to recline at the table.
So, Jesus' feet were facing the back. And so, she pours (she anoints) the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odor of the ointment.
John 10:12 - But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.
Literally in the Greek text, a hireling is a person who is hired to spell the shepherd so that he can have some time off. He's a hireling. Now two things about him: First of all, it's his job to do. And secondly, the sheep don't mean that much to him. It is only a job!
This is the proverb that represents leaders in professional positions, and especially the leaders that Jesus is talking to here. A hireling is a hireling. You hire them and you pay them to do the job. As far as risking their life for the sheep, no way, it is just a job!
John 10:19 - There was a division therefore again among the Jews for these sayings.
The word division is schism, (SCHISMA) in the Greek.
John 10:20 - And many of them said, He hath a devil, and is mad; why hear ye him?
The word "mad" is the Greek word for insane.
John 10:30 - I and my Father are one.
Literal translation from the Greek text is "I and the Father are one!"
Please notice that I didn't read it the way we have it in the King James. It's not "I and my Father are one" It is "I and the Father are one." He's saying, "We are the same." It is quite a statement to make!
John 10:34 - Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?
The Key Verse is Psalm 82:6. The term "gods" is just a general reference. That is not God's name. It's a general reference.
ELOHAE in the Old Testament singular, or ELOHIM plural. But in the Psalms, the judges who sat in the courts of Israel that represented God's law, they were called gods, with a small 'g".
They were called ELOHIM because they represented God. And so, they had all of this authority. Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods? Notice He didn't say, the scripture said you are gods. "I said you are gods!"
John 10:6 - This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them.
And this proverb, and keep in mind that it says parable in the King James, but John is presenting a proverb, not a parable. This is a well-known proverb in the area or in the land. He spoke unto them: but they did not understand what things that he spoke unto them.
There were saying "Okay, we know the proverb, but what does that have to do with anything?" They don't understand what's going on here.
First, John 10:1-6 is known as "The Proverb of the Sheepfold." This is a translation error. Please know that I am not putting down the King James but I wanted to share this just so you know this is not a parable. It is not the parable. Verse 6 tells us "This parable spake Jesus unto them:" except in the Greek text it is a different word which means proverb, not parable. John does not use the word parable here. He uses the word proverb.
In fact, it is the Septuagint name for the book of Proverbs. So, this is a Proverb. These are things that are known around the country and this is a famous Proverb that is used, but Jesus is going to interpret it for them a little differently than they are used to.
John 10:11 - I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
First of all, the term "good." There are a few words in the New Testament for the word good. This is the word KALOS. In comparison to the hirelings, and the thieves and robbers, the Lord is the Good Shepherd.
From the human comparison standpoint to the thieves and robbers and hirelings, they are not good at all. They are KAKOSE. Jesus said I am the good shepherd in contrast to the human hirelings.
John 10:3 - To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.
The genuine or true shepherd is the only one to whom the porter opens. The Greek word for porter means doorkeeper. The doorkeeper opens only to the shepherd of the sheep, never to the thief or the robber. When the shepherd stands in the doorway, his sheep hear his voice, factual statement in the Greek. It literally says his sheep ARE hearing his voice.
The shepherd calls his own sheep by name. That's how intimate it is. And in John Chapter 11 when Jesus calls Lazarus from out of the tomb, He says, "Lazarus come forth." He called him by name. He knows His sheep!
John 10:4 - And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.
That is a statement of fact, not they should, or they might. It says the sheep ARE following Him. And then next, they ARE knowing his voice. Factual statement!
John 10:5 - And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.
A stranger they will not follow. In the Greek, there's a double negative. They will never follow a stranger, factual statement with a double negative. It doesn't say they shouldn't, but they will never follow a stranger. Not only will they not follow him, they will flee from him. They will run! Lastly, they do not know the voice of strangers.
Applying it spiritually to us, Jesus is the true Shepherd and is introduced by the Holy Spirit. Of course, one of the vessels used was John the Baptist, but the Holy Spirit is the one that testifies of Christ and brings people to Christ and points to Him.
All others are thieves and robbers. When He stands there and calls for His sheep, His sheep are hearing His voice. It's impossible for the Lord to stand in front of the sheepfold and call for His sheep, and one not be paying attention and get left behind.
I love this portion of scripture! " John 10"
You don't follow Christ to become his sheep!
You follow him because you are his sheep!
God bless.
Nicely phrased, and it explains, "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you."( John 15:16). Have a great weekend,
John 10:9 reads, " I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved!!!
Now they follow him!
They follow him BECAUSE they belong to him. "THEY AND ONLY THEY" HEAR HIS VOICE.
Those that are not his does not hear his voice and they don't follow him.
Also, his sheep only hears him.
There is no fruit barring unless he causes it.
They shall go in and out, and find pasture.
God bless.
Amen Bennymkje.
John 10:9
"reads, " I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved!!!
Now they follow him!
They follow him BECAUSE they belong to him. "THEY AND ONLY THEY" HEAR HIS VOICE.
Those that are not his does not hear his voice and they don't follow him."
So what happens to those who don't hear his voice and they don't follow Him (through no fault of their own since they don't have free will)? I have asked this question many times of people who believe this and I've never received an answer.
God Bless :)
I don't know anyone that don't have freewill.
Neither did I ever said they didn't.
I don't quite understand your question, can you elaborate?
Thanks
There is no need of an apology. I do see how that can be misinterpreted.
The way you put it is exactly the way I have it.
God bless you.
If I may add the following:
John 10:27-28, "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.:
So who are those that God chooses? The answer is those who are going to hear (and accept) His calling, voice, and follow Him.
Pay attention to that "follow Him", it doesn't say just to hear but to follow Him as well. Following Him produces a fruit in their lives. In John 15:2 in the parable of the vineyard it says, "Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.". So one must stay in the vineyard, in Christ? This means to stay in His Word and do what He commands. Also to stay in His grace because otherwise one does not have the power to obey Him.
Going all the way to end is essential. An atlhete may run well during most of the race, but if he doesn't finish all that in vain.
1 Timothy 6:12, "Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.". LAY HOLD.
Colossians 2:22-23, " And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciledIn the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;"
Jesus will present us holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: (and this is very important) IF we continue in the faith grounded and settled, and not be moved away from the hope of the gospel. That IF...
Finishing our race in victory will give us the eternal life which we were promished.
Amen to that. Many are called but few are chosen. Like Judas Iscariot many others were called but were lost.
John 8:24 - I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.
I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye do not believe that I AM, and even though it says "he" at the end, the Greek text just says "I AM." It is the name of God in Exodus 3:14, when Moses was going to go to Pharaoh and say, "God says let my people go," and they ask, "Well what is your name, what do I tell them?" God says tell them I AM has sent you, the eternally existent one! Unless you believe that I AM, you shall die in your sins.
John 8:27 - They understood not that he spake to them of the Father.
I think it's very interesting, and just to point out a technical point, there at the end where it says, "of the Father," it is just "the Father."
"They understood not that He spoke to them the Father." He gave them and spoke the Father to them, not Himself!
John 8:31 - Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
Then said Jesus to those Jews who had believed on him, and the word "believed" is a Perfect Tense. They were in a condition of belief. If you continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and the word "indeed" in Greek is the word genuine. If you continue in my word, (remain in it, dwell in it), then you are my genuine disciples;
John 8:43 - Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.
The word "cannot" in Greek is the word ability or capacity. You do not have the capacity to hear my word. In 1 Corinthians 2:14, Paul says that the natural man cannot understand the things of God, and the Holy Spirit comes and reveals the deep things of God.
Only the person who has the Spirit of God can understand the things of God. The natural man does not understand spiritual things. So, Jesus is telling them that in your natural unbelieving state, you are not able to hear my word.
John 7:35 - Then said the Jews among themselves, Whither will he go, that we shall not find him? will he go unto the dispersed among the Gentiles, and teach the Gentiles?
These are called the Hellenists in the Greek text. They are talking about the Jews who have left Jerusalem and gone to live in Greek communities. They are Greek speaking Jews. And so, they are saying "Is He going to go amongst the Gentiles and teach the Gentiles," but they are making reference to Hellenists. That is a title for the Greek speaking Jews.
John 7:37 - In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.
So, on this last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood, and it is interesting that the word "stood" is a Perfect Tense meaning He had been standing through the entire ceremony.
John 7:51 - Doth our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth?
The Greek text causes us to expect the answer no. Or yes, our law does let a man present himself, but no, our law does not judge a man before it hears him or knows what he does.
John 8:2 - And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them.
Now the word "came," again is in the Imperfect Tense. They were flowing, people were just flowing to come and see Him, crowds of people, and He sat down and taught them. That is the position of the Rabbi. The Rabbi would always sit down to teach.
John 8:10 - When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?
The word "condemned" in the Greek (KATEKRINEN) is a judicial term meaning "passed sentence." Has no one passed sentence on you?
John 7:15 - And the Jews marvelled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?
The Greek word for the word "letters" is GRAMMA (Pronounced Grah-ma. In Greek, gramma actually means the individual letters of the alphabet, and then it came to be used for putting the letters together to pronounce words. And then thirdly, it reached a phase where it represented all writings that had words in them.
So, they are saying, "He's uneducated, He's never attended any of our religious schools. Where does He have all of this wisdom and knowledge?"
John 7:17 - If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.
Literally, that first part of this verse in the Greek text reads, "If anyone should will to do His will."
The word "will" is that free will process, or that decision making process. When we approach life and approach the word of God, what is our motivation? Is it so that we can do His will? We'll know whether it is right or not from the Bible. Isn't that interesting? That is a guarantee. It says that you shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God or whether I speak of myself.
Not all Christians have the right motive in the approach to the word of God. The bible is for people who say, "I really want to know what the Lord's will is." What does God say about this so I can do it? These are like personal letters from God to us saying here is my will for your life. I'm just saying that when you want to do the Lord's will, you'll know whether the teaching is from God or not.
Not when you compare it to your human desires, not when you compare it to your personal opinions, not when you compare it to what you want out of life., but as a surrendered disciple who wants to do the will of God, you will know whether the doctrine is right or not. You'll know whether that doctrine was inspired by the same Spirit that lives inside you that inspires you to want to do God's will.
John 6:63 - It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
The word quickeneth means make alive. It is the spirit that makes alive, the flesh profits nothing: In other words, there is no spiritual benefit in the flesh. Zero! The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. They are not physical. It is spirit. It is not physical life, it is spiritual life. So, He says everything that I just told you about my flesh, and my blood, take that and change it into spiritual metaphors and you'll have what it means.
John 6:70 - Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?
Literally, the word demon!
John 7:1 - After these things Jesus walked in Galilee: for he would not walk in Jewry, because the Jews sought to kill him.
After these things (META TOUTA), meaning right after the things in Chapter 6, Jesus walked in Galilee: for He would not walk in Jewry, (that is, in Judea), because the Jews were seeking to kill Him.
John 7:11 - Then the Jews sought him at the feast, and said, Where is he?
Remember the Jews, plural, whenever it says the Jews in the plural, it is representing the leaders. So, the Jews were seeking Him at the feast, and said, where is He?
John 7:14 - Now about the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and taught.
The word taught is called the Imperfect Tense, continually teaching in the temple. And what is interesting is that He went up in the middle of the feast, not at the beginning of the feast.
The feast had started. People were looking for Him. He wasn't there. So, everybody starts turning their attention towards the activities of the feast, and then Jesus went into the temple around the middle of the feast.
John 5:3 - In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water.
From the word "waiting," all the way through to the end of Verse 4, those sections of scriptures are not found in some manuscripts.
But it is with the Textus Receptus for the King James. It tells us what they were waiting for. So, you have all these different people, waiting for the moving of the water.
John 5:10 - The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed.
This is just general information, but whenever you see the term "the Jews" plural in the text, it is not making reference to Jewish people, but Jewish leadership. The Jews were the leadership of the Jews, plural term. The Jews said to him, it is the Sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry your bed.
John 5:18 - Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.
Again, the term "the Jews" means the religious leaders.
John 6:1 - After these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias.
Again, it starts out with META TOUTA. After these things, (the things of Chapter 5), right afterwards, we have the succession of events.
John 6:7 - Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little.
Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth, two hundred DENARII (two hundred days wages) of bread is not sufficient for them that every one of them may take a little.
So even if we had 200 days wages and purchased bread and gave everybody one piece, there wouldn't be enough.
John 4:48 - Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.
Notice the "ye" in the text? It denotes plural, not just you, but everybody else that comes up to me, they come up to me because they see the signs, and you won't believe unless you see signs. And so, the nobleman's going to tell Him "Well that's probably true, but if you come down, you can heal him. So, Jesus sees that he is still not going to understand that the Lord can just speak the word. Jesus doesn't need to be there!
John 5:1 - After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
Period of time:
It begins by saying "After this," META TOUTA in the Greek, and it means right after the incidents of Chapter 4, that there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
Some manuscripts have "The Feast" of the Jews, meaning that it is Passover. Anyways, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. It was one of the three feasts that all Jewish males 20 and over were required to be at when these feasts are held in Jerusalem every year. So, Jesus goes up to Jerusalem at the feast.
John 5:2 - Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches.
Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market, and in the Greek text is literally the sheep gate, and they are keeping the sheep in there for the Passover sacrifice. But anyway, near this sheep gate is a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches.
Bethesda means house of mercy. It plays a big part. John does not put in things just to give us information. It all has a part in the story and in the message.
John 3:34 - For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.
Very important verse! Literally, that second part of the verse is that God has poured out His Spirit in its fullness upon Christ. He is all God! The principle is that He's the only one that has and speaks the words of God. In Colossians 2:9, Paul tells us that in Jesus is all of the Godhead in bodily form. Everything there is of God and bodily form! God did not pour out His Spirit by measure but rather in His fullness.
John 3:36 - He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
Two words in Verse 36:
He that believes on the Son, right now, has everlasting life. And he that believeth not, and that word is a different word. The "believeth not" is what is translated without persuasion. The one who believes has everlasting life right now.
But the one who has refused the persuasion of the Son (future tense), shall not see life, but (present tense), the wrath of God is abiding on him. If you refuse the persuasion of God's Spirit about Jesus Christ, you will continue to die in your sins.
John 4:4 - And he must needs go through Samaria.
"Must needs" is a Greek word (EDEI) that means He was bound. It was a plan. It was necessary that He goes through Samaria. He had an appointment with this woman.
John 4:46 - So, Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum.
So, Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman (BASOLIKOS), from the word king, and it means to be in some kind of royal court or office.
John 3:21 - But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
But he that does truth, literally the one who practices the truth is continually coming to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are worked in God.
The one who has a heart for the Lord comes to the light and basically says show me what is of me, and what is of God. I just want to do the things of God. What's the truth? I don't want to hide, just manifest to me the truth. Two different kinds of people!
And from this text, I can say to you, and it answers all the questions and problems that we have about preaching the Gospel. What about those people that never hear? What about the people that can't read?
What about those who don't have a Bible? They have never heard the Gospel message before. According to Jesus, everybody is going to be judged by how they responded to the light. That's it!
In John 1:9, we read in the Logos Hymn that the light enlightens every person coming into the world. So, it is not words. At some point and some time, God's Spirit as a Spiritual light manifests Himself to a person's heart or spirit. And that person will either be receptive to the light, or they are going to want to get away from the light. It won't involve words. It won't be because of the English language or Greek or Hebrew or anything else. It's the light!
When He shines His light into our darkness, how do we respond? We are either drawn to the light, or we want to get away from the light. That's based on a heart condition, not on what I believe or don't believe in my head. It's the light!
Just a comment on John 3:3. The word "anothen" (ah'-noh-thehn) in grk normally means "from above". This is how a grk would understand it and this how I knew it before reading a work from a scholar/theologian on that, who explained that in anc grk it also meant "again". To understand that just follow the order: (anothen)from above-from the top-from the start/begining-all over again.
So how could we know which meaning is the proper one? From above or again? The answer lays on how Nicodemus understood it. If he understood it as "from above" he wouldn't had asked how one can enter his mother's womb and be born again, since it would had been obvious that Jesus was talking about a supernatural birth from God. But his answer didn't show something like that. So he understood it as "again", and this is most probably the proper interpretation of the grk in that verse.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on John 3:3. I looks like we both agree that the word (ANOTHEN) means "from above." However, what we differ on is Nicodemus' understanding of what Jesus was telling him, and which way the word ANOTHEN should be translated in this verse. It makes sense what you said, and I can see how one would not see the words "from above" just by going off Nicodemus' response in Verse 4.
His response is odd. No one, especially Nicodemus, a member of the Sanhedrin and the master teacher of Israel would think that a person can enter back into their mother's womb and be physically born again. But Jesus wasn't talking about being born again physically. Jesus is saying that a person must be born from above, a Spiritual birth that only comes from above.
What's interesting is that in the Greek text, it expects the answer no in John 3:4. Nicodemus was looking for Jesus to confirm that He was not talking about a second physical birth or being born again.
When I see ANOTHEN in John 3:3, I see the words "from above." This same word is used in in Verses 7 and 31. Did Nicodemus truly believe that Jesus was saying a person must be born again by entering back into their mother's womb? Obviously, Nicodemus misunderstood what Jesus was telling him, as Jesus says in Verse 7, "Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born from above."
Nicodemus is confused because he asks Jesus "How can these things be?" It makes more sense that Jesus is telling him that a person must be born from above, meaning that every person must experience a spiritual birth from heaven, that is, the source of it is from heaven, not from man. It's a spiritual birth, a birth "from above," which Jesus is telling him he must experience if he wants to see the kingdom of God.
I am interested in reading what this scholar/theologian you mentioned had to say on this. Can you please share his name with me so I can read what he had to say? Thanks again brother!
Blessings!
Although it is not that long since I read that article from that scholar about the word ANOTHEN, it is about a couple of months ago, I haven't saved it in my PC. Sometimes when I search things on the net, I go from a site to a site and at the end I end up in a completely different thing than the one that I was initially looking for. So, sorry I don't have the name of the author. If I find it in the future I will let you know. But I think if you search it on the net you will get some good information.
About the word ME in John 3:4 in the beginning of his question, it denotes doubt. It is like him saying "Can it be possible...?". In this way he is expressing his doubt on what Jesus said. To me this shows that he understood it as "again". But anyway either this or that doesn't make much difference. GBU
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John 1:41 - He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.
Andrew leaves and he goes to find his brother Simon Peter. And he says, we have found the Messiah. And the word found is the word HEUREESKO which is why this section is called the EUREKA, the I found you section. And he finds his own brother, and says we found the Messiah, which is been interpreted the Christ.
John 1:47 - Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!
The word guile is deceit.
John 2:6 - And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece.
A firkin is a skin of an animal that's been shaped to hold liquid. A firkin, or two or three firkins, there is one measure, or firkin, because that's what the Greek word says. It says measure, and one measure equals 10 gallons. So, each one carries either 20 or 30 gallons each, which means at a maximum there is 180 gallons total that these six water pots could hold.
John 2:11 - This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.
The word glory is the Greek word DOKSAH, and it comes from the Hebrew word KAVODH that basically means substance.
So, the glory of God is His presence, the very substance of His person, His Spirit. Christ is manifesting that He is God in the flesh as He has manifested Himself.
John 1:18 - No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, and again the word begotten means unique. The only one who is in human form that represents God, the only begotten Son which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. Quite a statement!
It is the relationship of the Word to the representative of God to man. First of all, nobody has ever seen God at any time. Nobody! The only one, the only unique one who has come from God, who is in the Father's bosom, another word of equality, He and the Father are one, as he's going to say in John Chapter 10 Verse 31.
He, that is Jesus Christ, He has declared God. The word for declared is EXEGESITO. That is where we get our word exegesis from. An exegete is somebody who takes something apart and declares in detail the facts about a subject.
So here are the three principles: in existence, and in equality, and in essence.
The only begotten Son Existed in the bosom of the Father.
Equality - bosom of the Father means that He is one with him.
And thirdly, Essence - God in human form.
In other words, if anybody wants to know about God, they go to Jesus Christ. He is not just a prophet. He's not just a rabbi. In the Christian faith and Biblical Christianity, He is God in the flesh, 100% God, 100% man!
John 1:23 - He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.
Esaias is the Greek transliteration of the word Isaiah in Greek.
John 1:3 - All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
All things were made by him. Now the word "made" designates to us that the Greek word means to create or to come into existence. He is talking about creation, something that was not in existence before. All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made.
John 1:13 - Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
Which were born, not of blood, in fact in the Greek text that is plural, not of bloods. You cannot be born into a Christian family. You cannot be born into salvation. It is not part of a family line. Nor of the will of the flesh, human desire, nor of the will of man, and the word man in Greek denotes the husband or the head of the family.
The head of the family can't decide "Okay, all you kids are to be Christians. You are all going to be saved. So next Sunday we are all going up to the altar and you are all going to get saved." It is not the will of the husband. But notice at the end, and this goes with the first three words of the verse, which were born of God. The word "of" means "out of as a source."
Those that received Him experienced a spiritual birth that comes from God, and we get that in detail in Chapter 3 in the interview with Nicodemus.
John 1:16 - And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.
In other words, we are recipients of this grace that comes from the Word. And the phrase "grace for grace" in the Greek text, it depicts like the waves of the sea.
Grace succeeding grace like the waves of the sea. God's grace just pours through one after the other. And John says of His fullness we've received and grace after grace, like the waves of the sea.